Gifts to Management

CheryllH

Hello,

This is my first time posting a question on the HR Forum, I apologize if this is not the appropriate section for my question.

I work for a small engineering company and each year as a group we contribute money for a nice Christmas gift for the president/owner of the company to show our appreciation. Contributions have always been voluntary but as the company has grown the question has come up whether continued gift giving is unethical. Several employees have expressed concerns that we should stop the gifts while the majority all feel that as long as the contributions are voluntary we should continue with the tradition.

My question to the forum is does anyone have a corporate "gift giving" policy or opinion that they would be willing to share on whether giving gifts to management is appropriate? And if we continue should we limit the amount we spend?

ray a

Welcome Cheryl. We don't have a gift giving policy, but I can tell you what we've done. Our VP gives each one of us on his staff a token gift each year at Christmas - worth about $25. One year the staff took up a collection and bought him something in return. But, only that one year. Not sure why it was stopped.

You are right to be concerned as newer ee's come on board - there could be a feeling that they must contribute which would take away from the meaning of it. Maybe others will give you better help.

Paul in Cannon Beach

I dont think its unethical as you have described it. It sounds like a lovely practice. Just keep it totally voluntary and don't disclose who gave and who didnt when you present the gift.

ray a

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 10-04-06 AT 12:18PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Who said anything about it being unethical?

edit: Oops, the original poster brought up ethics.

WT

In the public sector the issue of gifts to management is a big one. However, the gifts of concern are not internal gifts from or between staff, but rather gifts from vendors and other business associates that could be seen to influence business decisions. Such gifts are closely regulated by various ethics standards.

Actually, gift giving among the staff is a pretty good indicator of how your office would place on a scale indicating warm and frindly on one end of the scale and cold and businesslike on the other end.

I see no ethical reason to stop your practice as long as it remains voluntary.

dixied

Our employee handbook states: In order to avoid disruption and imposition on our employees, we do not permit general solicitations, selling of merchandise, or solicitations for gifts, weddings, showers, etc. A holiday gift exchange within departments is acceptable.
That takes the worry out of 'what to get the president'.

System

Welcome to the Forum, Cheryll!

The business etiquette I've heard is that it's bad form for a subordinate to give a gift to the boss because it'll look like you're kissing up to him. And it'll set off a vicious gift-buying competition where the boss' other employees feel compelled to pucker up.

A group gift is a little different. As your company grows, I could see how some people would feel compelled to contribute against their will, even if you say it's confidential. Unethical, no. But maybe uncomfortable.

Still, I would keep it up as long as it feels right, but don't spend too much.

Good luck!

James Sokolowski
HRhero.com

Open1

Our company has a tradition of direct reports going in on a Xmas gift for their supervisor and I've never heard any complaints about this.

The baby showers are another story...

Dutch2

Instead of gifts to one another here at work our folks do a great job of supporting adopt a family, toys for totts, etc and local charities such as the food pantry, soup kitechen, etc. It is amazing at the amount of gifts, personal time, and money they come up with every year during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season.

Rockie

Gift giving is something that can quickly get out of hand. It can be expensive for those on a limited income and they can easily feel pressured to contribute to something they cannot afford. I discourage my HR staff from giving me a gift for any occasion and ask that they contribute to a charity if they feel the need to buy a gift.

We, too, have gone to working with community efforts such as a food bank or adopting a family at Christmas time to avoid this type of issue. People can give if they want to as we do group efforts and don't target what individuals are able to give. This has worked out well for us.

LeeR

We do it here. Seems like they are always collecting for bosses day, christmas house warming etc. Then of course you sign a card to go along with it so the boss knows who contirbuted and who didn't. Bad idea from my point of view and I do not contribute.